Review - The Man Who Died Twice

 I had read The Thursday Murder Club (book 1), but apparently I didn't post a review of it.  Shame on me.  I apologize profusely.  Since I dropped the ball, let's review a little about the first book's success.

The Thursday Murder Club won the Sounds of Crime Award in 2021 for the audiobook and won the Platinum Bestseller Award for selling over 1 million copies in the UK in 2020.

The debut novel also was nominated for the Edgar Award in 2021,  the Anthony Award for first novel in 2021,  the Macavity Award in 2021, the Barry Award for First Novel in 2021, the British Book Award shortlisted for Audiobook in 2021, and the CrimeFest Award shortlisted in 2021.

Plus the novel is being adapted into a film by Stephen Spielberg's company.  Filming reportedly finished September of 2024 so it should be released this year.  It is supposed to be in theaters prior to streaming on Netflix.  The cast is full of stars with Helen Mirren, Sir Ben Kingsley, Pierce Brosnan,  Celia Imrie, and David Tennant.  I am anxious to see it and review the movie here.

But, today is a review of the second book in the series.  If you have read it, please leave a comment on how you felt it stacked up to the wildly popular first book.

Author: Richard Osman

Copyright: September 2021 (Penguin Books) 365 pgs

Series: 2nd in Thursday Murder Club Mysteries

Sensuality: Minimal descriptions of violence

Mystery Sub-genre: Amateur Sleuth, British Mystery

Main Character: Elizabeth Best, 76 year old ex-spy for British Secret Service

Setting: Modern day, Cooper's Chase Retirement Village, near the fictitious village of Fairhaven in Kent, Britain

Obtained Through: Library Find

Book Blurb: "Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim—the Thursday Murder Club—are still riding high off their recent real-life murder case and are looking forward to a bit of peace and quiet at Cooper's Chase, their posh retirement.

But they are out of luck when an unexpected visitor—an old pal of Elizabeth's (or perhaps more than just a pal?)—arrives, desperate for her help. He has been accused of stealing diamonds worth millions from the wrong men and he's seriously on the lam." 

The stars of this show are the slightly eccentric, yet relatable senior citizens: Whip smart Elizabeth is a former cunning spy of some renown;  calm and clever Joyce was a nurse who documents their exploits in her journal;  the endearing rogue Ron was a prior union activist; and soft spoken Ibrahim was a psychiatrist.  Plus DCI Chris and PC Donna are highlighted with their personal challenges. In this book, each character gets a chance to shine in their own right.  But for me, Ibrahim's journey this time really plucked my heart strings.  This ensemble cast is golden and their individuality and care for one another makes the book shine.

Set in the quaint retirement village of Cooper's Chase in the English countryside.  This setting is English cozy community personified, while giving an intriguing tension just under the surface.  The setting seems idyllic, but even in this second outing it becomes clear it isn't perfect nor is it altogether safe.

The plot involves a cold case with present day threats when a man from Elizabeth's past appears seeking her aid and thus the Thursday Murder Club has their next investigation. The pacing kept me engaged as much for the characters and their stories as the twisty plot. The subplots revolve around the group's friendship, aging difficulties and challenges, and humor all wrapped around a tantalizing murder mystery maze.

The climactic killer reveal was pretty much a surprise since I didn't figure it out until two or three pages before all was laid bare.  I liked how Elizabeth worked the confrontation, manipulating a scene that flushed out the missing puzzle piece to tie all threads off and resolve everything.  I like how these seniors bring about a sequence of events to get justice, even if they are a little unorthodox in their methods.  This kept me glued to the book, flipping pages with the common "just one more chapter" refrain.

In the wrap up all loose ends are dealt with and some character challenges are brought to resolution with tender care.  I particularly like the last few pages as it brought a lump to my throat for its compassion.

My Thoughts:  Initially I had a hard time getting into the story, but it didn't take long for that to change.  These four mature characters have a magic between them like the best of some shows that create devoted fans to their characters.  It's "Friends" combined with "RED" and that is a potent recipe.   

Rating:  Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list 

Have you read it?  What were your thoughts?  Please share in the comments.  Are you looking forward to the movie?

Review - A Traitor in Whitehall

 "Romance, feminism, and historical detail combine in an exciting new series." –Kirkus Reviews

“A cast of opinionated side characters and a wealth of fascinating historical details add to the fun in this engaging, atmospheric series kickoff.” –BookPage

"Kelly spins an Agatha Christie-esque mystery . . . thoroughly delightful and well-researched."―Susan Elia MacNeal    

As you can see, this book got some high praise.  Let's see what all the hub bub is about, shall we?  So grab a cup of tea, sit back, and let’s dive into this book.

Author: Julia Kelly

Copyright: Oct 2023 (Minotaur) 304 pgs

Series: 1st in Evelyne Redfern Mysteries

Sensuality: mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical cozy mystery, historical espionage cozy

Main Character: Evelyne "Ellie" Redfern, new secretary in Winston Chuchill's secret underground "War-Room" bunker 

Setting: 1940, London, England

Obtained Through: Library

Book Blurb:  "1940, England: Evelyne Redfern, known as “The Parisian Orphan” as a child, is working on the line at a munitions factory in wartime London. When Mr. Fletcher, one of her father’s old friends, spots Evelyne on a night out, Evelyne finds herself plunged into the world of Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s cabinet war rooms.

However, shortly after she settles into her new role as a secretary, one of the girls at work is murdered, and Evelyne must use all of her amateur sleuthing expertise to find the killer. But doing so puts her right in the path of David Poole, a cagey minister’s aide who seems determined to thwart her investigations. That is, until Evelyne finds out David’s real mission is to root out a mole selling government secrets to Britain’s enemies, and the pair begrudgingly team up.

With her quick wit, sharp eyes, and determination, will Evelyne be able to find out who’s been selling England’s secrets and catch a killer, all while battling her growing attraction to David?"

Ellie is immediately relatable—intelligent, independent (living out on her own), and a touch sassy, which I liked.  These qualities serve her well as she navigates the male-dominated world of Whitehall (general name for British Government).  She embodies the spirit of women during the war, stepping up and out of their traditional roles to serve their country.

Ellie ends up sleuthing with David Poole, who is secretive and maybe even... a touch brooding, but definitely has an air of mystery that made me guess whether he was an ally or enemy. Their interactions are filled with a mix of tension and camaraderie.  This was effective and left me flipping pages to see if it was a potential romance or a betrayal.  

The supporting characters provide touches of comic relief and some insightful commentary. From the sharp-witted secretary who offers devastatingly on-point advice, Ellie's room-mate who is the opposite of her, to the elderly war veterans sharing bits of wisdom over cups of tea, added depth to the story.

Set against the backdrop of World War II with seamlessly interwoven fine details of routines and life in the underground barracks, from the bunks for sleeping, sunlamp treatments, and rigorous precautions to keep everything secret.  It is this weaving of true events into the story that is so immersive.  Kelly’s ability to bring 1940s London to life and the, unimaginable for us, palpable tension of wartime as London is being bombed nightly by the Nazis. 

The plot revolves around a clandestine web of spies and traitors lurking in the corridors of the war-rooms. The story follows Ellie as she is thrown into the covert world of espionage in the underground maze of the war room bunker.  Ellie, a mystery novel aficionado, is drawn into this dangerous game since she discovered the murdered girl.  Besides, she was sent to "observe" as well as type and take dictation, so it's part of her job, right? She quickly finds nothing is as it seems, and she doesn't dare trust anybody.  

The pacing moves along steadily with all the secret meetings, coded messages, and whispers of betrayal like a top cat-and-mouse deadly game, or is it spy-vs-spy?  The witty banter one moment and then life-threatening decisions and situations in the next keep the story rocketing along.

The writing deftly handles various emotional and atmospheric tones, which I just love.  Kelly balances humor with suspense, which kept me engaged throughout.

The cherry-on-top is the romantic under currents threaded throughout. The gentle slow burn romance complements the story perfectly.  War doesn't stop attraction and interest!

The killer confrontation is a tense scene with an unexpected resolution, but probable.  I love a more daring-do climatic killer reveal/confrontation, but this was satisfying - so I'm happy.

The wrap-up was perfect and sets up Ellie for continuing in clandestine work.  I'm hoping she will work with the handsome David Poole again in the next novel, which I'm getting right away since I was late getting to this debut novel.

Conclusion:  If you're in the mood for a delightful blend of history, mystery, and the allure of espionage, then this is the perfect book for you.  This is a delicious romp through history with its deftly plotted storyline of intrigue, a cast of characters I loved, and a narrative that handles tension and levity flawlessly. 

Rating:  Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 

Here is a video tour of the very same Cabinet War Rooms that are used in the book.  I was very fortunate to take this tour last year when I went to London.  Well worth the tour fee.  But this will make the book more real.